Our weekly check-in meeting is open to anyone interested in supporting compassionate community response to our most vulnerable neighbors in this time of crisis. Meetings are held online every Thursday from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Please email LeDayne Polaski for Zoom access code. In addition, if you would like to receive notification when these minutes are posted, please subscribe to our newsletter.
In This Issue:
Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina
MeckMIN Updates
Mecklenburg County Public Health Updates: Halloween Guidelines, Flu Shots
October is Domestic Violence Prevention Month
Three Simple Steps to Voting Absentee in 2020
House of Faith Updates
Non-Profit Updates: Revamp, MyCommunity and Aunt Bertha Center, Loaves & Fishes, Bright Starts, International House, Refugee Support Services, Galilee and Charlotte Community Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill, Mecklenburg County, The Carter Center
Click Here to Access 10/15/20 View Zoom Recording: Passcode: qEhB0C!c
Important Dates:
Oct 18, 2pm: Souls to the Polls, Concerned Clergy of Charlotte
Oct 24: Queen City Family Tree March to the Polls
Oct 22, 11 am: Next MeckMIN Leader Meeting. Register Here
Oct 27,1-3:15pm: Security & Safety Symposium for Faith-Based Communities. Register Here
Oct 30: · Deadline to register as a participant in the Virtual Children and Youth Choir. Register Today!
Nov 12, 12 pm – 1 pm: My Community & Aunt Bertha Virtual Community Event
Nov 18th: Virtual Book event for Awakening the Light: A Survivors to Thrivers Going Forward Story.
Nov 24, 6:45pm Prelude/ 7:00pm Service: 45th annual MeckMIN Community-Wide Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. Become a Sponsor!
Opening Reflection
Offered by Kristen Anderson, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: One, who answers to many names, we gratefully gather together from many diverse faiths and traditions, but under a common desire to work together, to be thy hands in our community as we strive to relieve suffering, to share love, and to comfort any who are unwell in body, mind, or spirit.
We understand that thy ways are higher than our ways, and that thy timing is different than our desired timing, but we ask for thy blessing of healing upon all those who are sick or suffering from this COVID pandemic, and we ask thee to inspire those who are working so diligently to defeat it.
Help us, Father, to remember that we are all brothers and sisters and that we should love all our neighbors as thou dost. Help us return to civility, dignity, grace, and kindness — especially during this election season.
Bless us as a community, as a state, and as a nation to seek unity and cooperation, rather than sew seeds of divisiveness and hate.
Help us to have the courage to stand up for those who are feeling marginalized and left out.
Help us to recognize thy hand in our own life, and to acknowledge that following thy guidance is the answer to all our ills. In His name, Amen
Tracey O'Neal, the Faith-Based Partnership Engagement Manager, shared that they are hosting "Protective Factors Week: Strengthening and Connecting Families, Congregations, and Communities" next week. Each day from Monday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct 23rd they will focus on one protective factor of the day, feature state leaders and experts on the subject and there will be an opportunity to share what you are doing in your own communities. Friday there will be a town hall with state leaders and experts to ask questions. Register for all events, even if you cannot make it live. Each event will be recorded and made available to registered attendees via video link afterwards. There will also be a Protective Factor newsletter sent each day.
Full Schedule:
Resilence: Monday October 19th 1:00-2:00PM
Social Emotional Competence: October 20th 1:00-2:00PM
Knowledge of Parenting Development: October 21st 1:00-2:00PM
Concrete Support : October 22nd
Social Connections: October 23rd
Town Hall: October 23rd
2. MeckMIN Updates
Open Tables: Email meckmin@meckmin.org to join these dinner and dialogue sessions hosted by local congregations. Through fellowship and food, Open Tables aims to build substantive relationships among our diverse congregations based on our shared humanity, reaching beyond the divides of tribalism. MeckMIN will connect congregations willing to host with congregations of other faiths and/or racial/ethnic make-ups willing to attend.
Youth Leaders & MeckMIN Interfaith Youth Opportunities: If there is someone who works as a volunteer or staff person with middle and high school youth in your house of faith, please email their name and contact info to LeDayne Polaski so we can let them know about interfaith opportunities for youth.
Sponsor's Needed! Hosting this event virtually will cost $2,000 more than budgeted. MeckMIN is currently seeking businesses, congregations, organizations and individuals to Become a Sponsor in order to assist with the increased cost. Please help us spread the word!
Thanksgiving Service Virtual Children's & Youth Choir: Deadline has been extended to October 30th. All children and youth (5-17 years old) of all abilities are invited to join and participate in a virtual choir performance of..."One Little Candle" by J. MALOY ROACH and GEORGE MYSELS arr. by CHARLES NAYLOR. Sign Up Here!
Volunteers for Leader Meeting Opening Prayer: Volunteers needed to offer opening prayer for next week's community leader meeting (or for future meetings) - Contact LeDayne.
3. Mecklenburg County Public Health Updates
Mecklenburg County Public Health continues to monitor case counts and hospitalizations related to COVID-19 through Phase 3 of the Governors Order. We are strongly encouraging the use of face cloth coverings, social distancing, and hand hygiene for the public.
Flu Shots: Click here for more information on how to schedule your flu shot with the health department.
Guidelines for Halloween Trick or Treating: Mecklenburg County Public Health continues to monitor numbers through Phase 3 of the Governors order. See below for Halloween recommendations:
4. October is Domestic Violence Prevention Month
Tambry Harris shared resources for survivors of domestic violence and childhood abuse. She is herself a survivor and has made it her life’s work to help others move from Survive Mode to Thrive Mode. She offers an integrative approach in her Facebook group, Going Forward: Survivors to Thrivers, in her retreats, and in her book, Awakening the Light: A Survivors to Thrivers Going Forward Story.
As we make our own wounds visible and available, they can be of service to the healing of others. This story of wounding, struggle, and healing encourages survivors to claim their going-forward stories.
Tambry Harris is available to speak at your house of faith. She is hosting a virtual book launch event on November 18th and she would be happy to include any who want to participate. Please email Tambry to join the launch or get a complimentary copy of the book.
5. Three Simple Steps to Voting Absentee in 2020
Three Simple Steps to Voting Absentee in 2020 : Our friends at Democracy North Carolina have created this fantastic one-pager entitled "Three Simple Steps to Voting Absentee in 2020" to assist voters in the absentee process. At this link from the NC State Board of Elections, you can access an absentee ballot request form and BallotTrax, a tool to track your mailed absentee ballot, as well as FAQs about absentee ballots. Please share these tools widely.
6. House of Faith Updates
First Baptist Church West: Glencie Rhedrick is raising money for someone who needs to stay in a hotel until they get money from Charlotte Housing department. She needs another $144. If you can help contact her or cash app $GlencieRhedrick /Glencie Rhedrick revg4mecmin@gmail.com
7. Non-Profit Updates
Revamp: Contact Leslie Hunter, Executive Director, revampclt.org, @revampclt or (517) 648-8942)
Revamp is a management consulting group that focuses on community relations and public safety with a focus on homelessness, public safety and education. They have ongoing initiatives that require volunteers in each of these areas:
Homelessness: They are cleaning tent city with volunteers 1x week and hope to increase that number to every day. While cleaning they are also assessing residents and helping them with ids and other information they need
Education: They are tutoring and mentoring about 10% of the 800 students at Hidden Valley
Public Safety: They are hosting talks with decision makers like Sheriff McFadden and also speaking monthly inside of the jails.
Thursday, November 12 from 12pm to 1pm, Novant Health and Aunt Bertha Center are hosting a free virtual community event entitled, “MyCommunity” This is a free database of resources across the United States that helps people in need find and connect with social service programs near them. The event will demonstrate how to help people most efficiently and effectively using this service, and how to take advantage of free eligibility, intake, and reporting tools. Please share this information with your communities.
Volunteers Needed: Loaves & Fishes urgently needs boxes as well as volunteers to pack the boxes at warehouse and deliver groceries.
Donate Food: During the current COVID-19 crisis, if you would like to donate food to Loaves & Fishes, you can drop off non-perishable food items at our Loaves & Fishes warehouse, located at 648 Griffith Road, Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm. A great way to help without leaving home is to shop our Amazon Wish List and have items delivered directly to our door. We are currently packing emergency food boxes and are in great need of the following items.
canned meats – tuna, chicken, salmon
canned fruits – especially no sugar added or in juice
canned pastas – Spaghetti O's, ravioli, etc…
pastas such as spaghetti, elbows, etc…(For Safety – No Glass Please!)
rice in 1 lb. bags
Bright Stars: Contact Pearlie Thomas, 704-579-7642
Bright Stars found a new space thanks to the East Side call that MeckMIN is convening. They just moved into a new space at Greater Bethel AME church and they will open for children on Monday. They need volunteers to help organize the materials for children and help get facility set up. They are also looking to hire teachers and teacher assistants and a bilingual teacher.
International House: Contact Alma Hernandez
International House still needs another 5 volunteers for the Rising Readers Family Outreach Program to do home visits. Contact Erin Phelps at 704-333-8099 x117 or email education@ihclt.org. Hours needed are 4-6hrs p/week until mid-Dec; 1-2x p/wk. They can provide a stipend for gas.
Laundry Drive: Quarters needed for laundry drive. Quarters are distributed to clients in a small gold bag along with detergent and a basket.
Laptop Trainings: Laptop trainings are offered every Wednesday in collaboration with E2D.
Citizenship Trainings: They have put together a booklet to conduct mock interviews with refugees going through the citizenship process. Volunteers needed! It is good for folks who need to be homebased and it could include high schoolers.
Galilee and Charlotte Community Kitchen : Contact Joanne Stevenson Jenkins,704.502.2690
Galilee Center opened up a CMS Remote Learning Center for the children of Merry Oaks International Academy on October 5. This is being done in partnership with Greater Enrichment Program of Charlotte. Call for more information or if you can donate healthy fresh fruits.
Habitat for Humanity is looking for more applicants for their critical home repair program 30-80% AMI range who need structural, aging in place to stay in homes. The current focus is in Huntersville, but applicants can come from anywhere in Mecklenburg County all the way to southern Iredell county. Application in English, Spanish and French and a referral application on behalf of someone else. Includes mobile and manufactured homes. There are some costs involved, dependent on the family's income.
Goodwill: Contact LaRita Barber (704) 315-4307
November 12, 2020 8:30am-10:00am : "A Bridge Over the Benefits Cliff:Creating Pathways to Living-Wage/Family Sustaining Employment" Webinar
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta is partnering with The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Goodwill of the Southern Piedmont and The Benefits Cliff Work Group in Mecklenburg County (NC) to support states and employers in identifying career pathways that pay off for workers, employers, and the taxpayer. Join us for the webinar entitled "A Bridge Over the Benefits Cliff:Creating Pathways to Living-Wage/Family Sustaining Employment" to learn more about the Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster (CLIFF) Dashboard, an interactive tool that depicts wages along select career pathways to indicate barriers presented by losses in means-tested public benefits, also known as "benefits cliffs." Audiences: Bankers, Business Leaders, Community Advocates, Workforce Sector Leaders, Community Investors, Educators, Policymakers
To Register Contact:
LaRita L. Barber
Chief Advancement Officer
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont
5301 Wilkinson Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28208
(704) 315-4307/mobile –preferred (704) 332-0293/Office
Mecklenburg County: Contact Jen Rupp
Jenn Rupp sends out an amazing and very informative email every week and everyone should be on it! This week she shared food giveaways and many more resources. Email her to join the list.
The Carter Center, which works to ensure trusted and fair elections across the globe, will focus on the US elections this year for the first time. They have identified the areas that are most at risk and Mecklenburg County is one of them. The next step will be a meeting to talk about how to identify the risk and resilience factors in Mecklenburg and they are looking for help with that. They are a non-partisan organization. If you are interested in helping with this work, email LeDayne and she can connect you.
The @CarterCenter is working to build trust in the U.S. election process and spread the word on safe and secure voting options. Please watch & share this video! https://bit.ly/2ST8gnp
Prayer for Nonprofit Leaders
From the Christian mystic Howard Thurman The Centering Moment – The world, the cosmos, my little life are contained in God and if I keep the roadway open, even as I live, doing my thing in the world of things, I can keep journeying back home to be recentered, renewed, recreated, redeemed, over and over and over again as long as I live and beyond.
In the midst of all, may we keep the roadway open.